Adjustable writing implement



Sept. 25, 1962 RIEPE 3,055,341

ADJUSTABLE WRITING IMPLEMENT Filed Oct. 4, 1960 INVENTO 62747072 i/zUnited States Patent 3,055,341 ADJUSTABLE WRITING IMPLEMENT HelmuthRiepe, Hamburg, Germany, assignor, by mesne As is Well known, letteringand similar writing with a suitable writing instrument and the use oftemplates requires that the writing instrument be held substantiallyvertically in respect to the surface upon which writing is to be done.This is particularly so when a writing instrument is equipped witheither a tubular writing point or a ball. In either case it isadvantageous and indeed essential that the writing instrument bedisposed and held at substantially right angles to the writing surface.

In order to facilitate the holding of the writing instrument atsubstantially vertical position, the user of the instrument should beable to hold it at that position with ease, that is at a position heusually holds a pen or pencil for ordinary writing.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of awriting implement having a writing unit, and which implement is equippedwith positional adjusting means for the holder or barrel for the Writingunit to facilitate setting the holder or barrel to the best suitablewriting position normally assumed by individual writers in connectionwith specific writing procedures, and which implement is adapted for useeither with or without the aid of guide means, such as lettering guides,templates and the like, and which positional adjusting means arespecially adapted for maintaining the writing unit of the implement,while in use, at a substantially vertical position in respect to thewriting surface to be used.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of awriting device composed of a writing unit and a holder or barrel forsame for use either with or without suitable guide means such astemplates or the like and which device is simple in construction andinexpensive in its manufacture and which will allow positioning of theholder or barrel of the device so that the writing unit will alwaysremain at the required position vertical to the writing surface, whenthe device is used in connection with such guide means.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present disclosurewill be more fully understood from the following description inconnection with the accompanying drawing.

The latter illustrates an elevational view, partly in section, of thepresently preferred embodiment of the device, comprising a verticallydisposed writing instrument or writing unit and its holder or barreldisposed at an angle thereto.

In the drawing, numeral 1 denotes what is to be known as the writing nibof the device, from the lower end of which extends a writing point 2 inthe form of either a tube, illustrated, or a ball, not shown. The lowerbody end of nib 1 is provided with an external thread 3 adapted to beengaged by the internal thread of a removable cap 4, indicated in brokenlines, for protecting writing point 2. The upper end of nib 1 terminatesin a tubular, cylindrical extension 5 adapted for receiving anexchangeable, ink-holding cartridge 6. Engaging external thread 3 of thenib body, above protective cap 4, is an internally threaded ring 7 fromwhich extends a connecting element '8, which joins ring 7 with ball 9.This ball is adjustably held within a semi-spherical socket 11 providedwith a guide slot 10 for receiving and guiding connecting element 8. Thecylindrical portion of socket 11 is internally threaded and engages theexternally threaded ball adjusting member 12, which latter forms anextension of a barrel connector 13. Ball adjusting member 12 is providedwith a spherical recess 14 forming a seat for ball 9. The upper end ofconnector 13 is threaded externally for engaging internal thread 16 ofbarrel or holder 15.

By the cooperation between the external thread of connector 13 and theinternal thread of socket 11, an adjustment can be made of the twoelements so that the required pressure can be exerted by sphericalrecess 14 against ball 9 to arrest movement of the ball within socket11, thereby holding nib l at any desired angular position in respect tobarrel or holder 15, that is a position at which nib 1 assumes avertical position to the writing surface, while the barrel 15 is tiltedat an angle most convenient for the user.

It will be noted that just below cylindrical portion 5 of nib 1 there isprovided an external thread 17 which is adapted to serve for connectingthe internally threaded end of barrel 15 with the nib, so that thelatter can be used for handwriting, that is without a lettering guide ortemplate. Obviously, internal thread 16 of barrel 15 matches externalthread '17 of the nib.

While the positioning means between the nib and the barrel is shown anddescribed as a ball, it is obvious that instead of a ball a cylindricalmember can be used, in which case spherical recess 14 will become acylindrical recess. Such modification being obvious, a drawing isomitted.

Having thus described the present invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In an adjustable writing implement for use either with or without theaid of guide means, such as ternplates, lettering guides, and the like,the combination with a writing unit, of a holder, such as a barrel, forthe unit, means adjustably connecting the unit with the holder and meansfor maintaining the holder in adjusted position relative to said unit,said writing unit comprising a nib body having a hollow cylindricalportion at one, its upper end, for receiving a cartridge, a cartridgeremovably associated with said cylindrical portion, a first externallythreaded portion adjacent to said hollow cylindrical portion and servingfor optional engagement by a barrel, a second externally threadedportion provided on the nib body, a Writing point extending from theother, lower end of the nib body, an internally threaded ring engagingthe second externally threaded portion of the nib body, a connectingelement extending from said ring, a ball secured to said connectingelement, an internally threaded socket removably secured to said holder,said socket having a spherical portion for receiving the ball, and aslot in the spherical socket portion for receiving and guiding saidconnecting element between said ring and said ball.

2. In an adjustable writing implement as in claim 1, a barrel connectorhaving thread formations at both ends, one of the thread formationsadapted for engagement with the internal thread of said socket, a barrelhaving an internal thread, the other thread formation of said barrelconnector engaging the internal thread of said 8,055,341 3 4 barrel, theinternal thread of the barrel matching the first. hold said barrel atany adjusted position relative to the externally threaded portion of thenib located adjacent writing unit.

to Said hollow .Cylindrical Pq q References Cited in the file of thispatent 3. In an ad ustable writing implement as in clalm 2,

and wherein said one thread formation of the barrel con- 5 UNITED STATESPATENTS nector has an extension with a spherical recess, the latter1,409,037 Starkey et al, Mar. 7, 1922 engaging a portion of said ball,the adjustment between 1,528,142, Bourquin Mar. 3, 1925 said one threadformation of the barrel connector and said internal thread of saidsocket being adapted to FOREIGN PATENTS force said spherical recessagainst said ball and to thus 10 173,778 Switzerland Mar. 1, 1935

